Office



G. H. BENJAMIN. METHOD 0F EXTRACUNG SUGAR FROM DRIED SUGAR BEEISL APPUCATION FILED API. 6g lll.

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2 SHEETS-SBMET- I.

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Patented Oct. 2l, i919.

BENJAMIN, a`.ctizen of the York, in the county and or separated into cossettes 'or similar bodies,

UNITED fgsrarns PATENT OFFICE.

enoadi HILnAaD BENJAMIN, orNEw Yom-N. Y.. nErHon or nxrnaorms sueur Faoin Damn susan-Bums.

VSpepiiication of Letters Patent,

Patenten oet. 21', 19'1'9.

Application tiled April 6, 1916. Bei-iai' No. 10,458.

To all whom t ivi/ay concern:

Be it knownI that I, GEORGE l Humano United States, residing at New State of New York,.' have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods ,of Extracting Sugar from Dried Sugar- Beets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method of extracting sugar from dried sugar beets, and has for its object to decrease the cost of extraction or diffusion, as heretofore practised, by decreasing the time required to eifect diifusion the amount of water em-l ployed, and the fuel required to heat the diffusion fluid, as also to dry the residual products.

By the term dried sugar beets as used in this specification, I wish to have understood sugar beets which have been divided and such bodies subjected to treatment whereb there has been removed, at least 80% o the normally contained water, the albuminous or similar bodies being coagulated both Within and without the cells of the beet structure; and further, wherein the crystallizable sugar carried by the dried sugar beet is in excess of .that carried by the fresh lbeet before treatment. The method of treating the beets as above indicated, the analyses and methods of carrying out the analyses upon which the statement is pre- 40. dated December 12, 191,6,

v where a series of diffusing cells dicated, t'. @that` the crystallizable sugar carried by the dried sugar beets is in excess of that carried by the fresh beets before treatment, I have specifically set forth and described in my prior Patent No. 1,207,840,

and to which reference is made. j

lThe accompanying drawings, which are in a sense diagrammatic, will serve to illustrate such an apparatus as I ma use to carry my method into eil'ect, in whic Figure '1 is a eneral view in elevation, with a diffuser s own in vSection Vanda filter impartial section. Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation showing a modiiied arrangement of a aratus :te employed.V Fig. 3 is a plan: view of the nlrrangement shown in Fig. 2. f

. V `To carry my invention into elitist, the

afi'.

dried suglar beets. in the form of cos- ,settes or ot er divided bodies are introduced into a diffuser-5 through the usual-o ening 6in the-top` of the diffuser whic in theV drawings is shown as covered by a cap 7. As the weight of the dried sugar beets is approximate y one quarter that of fresh beets, and as they occupy approximatel one half thev space of fresh beets, I pre er to half fill the diffuser with the beets, as by so doin when hot water is introduced into the di user,.the beets will swell sufficienti to fiilthe diffuser. I wish it understoo however, that I do not limit myself in any wise to the amountof dried beets which I may introduce into the diffuser. That is, I may introduce a less or greater amount of beets, depending upon circumstances. The beets when introduced into the diffuser, are supported by va perforated grate 8, leaving a space 9 between the bottom of the grate an the bottom of the diffuser.` After the beets are introduced into the diffuser, hot water is introduced into the diffuser below the grate from the tank 10. In Fig. 1 the tank is situated below the diffuser, and in Fig. y2 above the diffusers. 'Provision is made for heating .the water in tank 10 by means of a steam 'coil 11.

I Irefer that the temperature of the Water shou d be originally, and maintained, at approximately 158 Fahrenheit, which is the temperature found to be best suited for the purpose. I do not, however, limit myself to such temperature. It may be decreased or increased as required.

12 indicates a pump. The induction lorifice 13 of the pump 1s connected to the bottom of the tank 10 through a. pi e 14 in whiehjs aV valve 15. The water rawn lfrom the tanlrl() is delivered from the eductionv orifice 16 of` the pump through pipes.

A and pipe 24. In the pipe 20 is a valve 25;

in pipe 21,evalve 26; in pipe 24, n valve 427. At such tin-ies the valves 25 and 26 are opened and the valve'27 closed.

As soon as the circulating system as aibove described is filled with water, the valve 15 in pipe 1i is closed, thereby shutting off the tunk 10, and the valve 27 in pipe 2i is opened. which allows the Water to pass through the pipe 28 to the induction orifice 13 of the 'uimp 12. In the pipe 28 is a valve 29, which at such time is closed. The Water is then circulated by the pump, passing from the eduction orifice of the puni to the diffuser, through the diffuser, througi the heater to the induction orifice of the pump. By means of the heater 22 the temperature of the water is maintained. yThe circulation, as above described, is maintained for any required length of time. In practice it has been found that the circulation should be maintained for approximately one and a. half hours. I do not', however, limit myself to the length of time during which the circulation should be maintained.'

After circulating the wuter through the beets in the diffuser, as described, the Huid can be tested, and if it is found that it has picked u colloidal and other substances, which itis desirable to remove, the valve 26 in pipe 2l is closed. The circulation will then be through the pipe 20' and pipe 30, to filter 31, through pipe 32, to heater 22. In thepipe 20 there is e valve 33 which at such time is closed, and lin the pipe -30 there is a valve 34 which at such time is open. In pipe 32 there is a vulve which -is also open. The diffusion fluid in passing through the filter, vwhich muy b of any suit- Vnble type, has separated from it the colloidal substances, etc., the sugar passing through the filter. Circulation through the filter, as described, muy be for any required time; in general practice, it is suliicient to send the solution through thc filter, say three times. I do not, however, limit myself to the number of times that the fluid is sent through the filter.

After the circulating Huid has taken up all the sugar that it will take up, the circulation is `stopped. The valve 2n in`pipe 20, and valve 19 in pipo 18, are then closed, and the vulve 36 in pipe 37 opened.v The liquid in the diffuser 5 then flows into the tank 38. The valve 29 in the pipe 28 isthcn opened. .'lhe valve 27 in the pipe 24 ntthut time heilig closed, und the'fluidvflowsr from the tunic 38, through the pipe 28, tothe induction orifice 13 offthe pump, and thence from the educton oiice'l andtlirough pipe 17 to ipe'39, the vulve 33 in .pipei2 being at suci time closed,- and thence (depending upon the character of the fluid) either to the tank 40 through pipeg'tl in which is a vulve 42 which at such #the is open. From the tank 40 the fluid is drawn through pipe 43 to the usuel triple effect uliiparatus; or alte rnatively, the vulve 42 at such time being' closed, through pipe 44 in which is a valve 45, which is then open, to a tank 4G, and through a pipe 47 to a carbolnitation apparutus 4S, and from thence through pipe 4,9, to the triple effect. The carbonutation apparatus illustrated in the drawings is substantially that described in the patentot' Leon NeudetyNo. 746,735 dated Dec. 15, 1903. I do not limit myself to any particular form of carbonetation apparatus.

After' the diffuser 5 has been emptied of the fluid, the cap 50 at the bottom of the diffuser is removed and the members of. the grate 8 rotutedvfrom a source ot' power, in dicated at 51. If desired, through the instrumentality of the apparatus as above described, fresh water muy be introduced into the diffuser before the exhausted cossettes are removed, to obtain sweet waters which muy be discharged in tank 38. to serve es the preliminary circulation. fluid.

In Figs. 2 and 3 four diffusers are shown. These rlifi'users are shown arranged in parallel relation. In carrying my improved method into effect, it is convenient to first introduce water into one diffuser. forl instance, diffuser 5, and then leave the `Waiter in that-diffuser until the beets are swollen. In the meantime. circulation is effected through diffuser 5, Diffuser 5* may at such time b'e discharged and 5 opened -for the introduction of fresh cossettes. I do not limit myself to the number of diff-users which may be employed. In practice I have found that circulation through one diffuser at. a time is sufficient. It muy, however, be found desirable to employ two or more diffuscrs in series, and circulate the fiuid through them in successive. ordmv l have not shown such `au arrangement, as it is well known in the art and merely means n. rcarrangennent of the circulating pipe system.

In currving mv improved method into effect. I may, before the circulated fluid con'- taining all the-sugar which may be extracted is discharged intothe tank 40, effect a par tial defecation by introducing into the filter 31 through pipe 52. a defeeiiting solution, as forinstance, a solution of mono-culciephosphuteand wafer. the effect of which is to coagulate .and throw, down 4iu` `the filter, slichxbodies. carried b iuthezgfiuid, as are subjecttqytlie actiondottheL ntnilio-calciephosphute. Milben.thisntepsls aken, thelcsultent: .huid should J}0t be i* ,A sent through l the diffusera, but Ararl'lrd ,directly io', thetabnk 40, or, tofthe earhonntation a )p1ujiiti|`sj 48,` for the reason that. it is not advisuble to introduce the liquid containing any trace of mono-culcic phosphate into the exhausted cossettes, as it decreases the value of the cossettes as a vfood product for cattle. Suit abie steam pi es are shown as connected to the filter 31, user 5 and heater 22.

From .the above it wiil bev seen that the steps of. the ,method described, are:

First: Introducin water at a constant temperature to the ried cossettes to cause heating of the cossettes, endosmosis of the water, and consequent swelling of the cossettes.

Second: 'Circulatingthe fluid to extract the sugar from the beets, as well as such other materials asv will be picked'up by the circulatin Huid. i i

Third: iltering the fluid while circulating, to. remove such matters as may be removed by the filter.

Fourth: Subjecting the fluid in the filter' to the action of a defecating-body, such as mono-calcio phosphate to precipitate or coagulate bodies carried by the fluid, other than the sugar. Y

Fifth: Delivering the Huid with the extracted sugar to a ta'nk from which it may be fed to a triple effect apparatus; or alternatively, when necessary, to a carbonatation apparatus to separate such bodies as may be separated by the action of lime, as is usual.

`The theoretical considerations involved are as follows: When the hot water is brought into dcontact 'with the dried beets, the water is absorbed by the beets and fills the cells of the beets, thereby 'plumping them and bringing them back to their natural condition. As -the Water is absorbed into the cells, it icks up the sugar within the cells and undrier the influence ot' heat, an exosmotic pressure is developedA whereby the sugar and other bodies will pass through the cell membranes into the diffusion fluid. The colloidal bodies as woll as the other bodies which have been coagulated Vby 'the preliminary treatment to which the beets were subjected, do not pass through .the cell Walls, at any rate, not to the same degree that they pass in the ordinaryv ditfusion methods. he result is a fluid which contains practically all of the sugar which may be extracted, a small proportion ot the salts carried by the beets` which proportion is smaller than in ordinary diffusion,

owing to the fart that a portion of the salts are held or bound by the colloidal or coagulated matters and therefore do not escape from the cells)4 which fluid is bright and sparkiing and which may be carried directly to the triple effect without rarbonatation, or where carbonatation is ref quired, the percentage of lime used is very -much less thanV is used inthe carbonatatiou of sugar Huid obtained by the ordinary dit'i fusion processes; It will be noted, that by limiting the circulation to a single cell or single cellsV successively, the amount of water reuired to effect diffusion is ma dried sugar beets, which consists in first4 subjectingbeets from which the major portion of the normally contained water has been removed to the action of, hot water without circulation for a sufficient time to heat the beets to the required temperature and to effect endosmotic absorption of the hot water by the cells of the beets, then introducing more hot Water and circulating such hot water at Aa constant temperature throughvthe beets, for a suliicient time to extract approximately all of the su ar which may be extracted by the introduce Water.

2. A method of extracting sugar from drier sugar beets, which consists in first subjecting beets from which the major portion of the normally contained .water has been removed to the action of water heated to approximately 158 Fahrenheit and without circulation of the water, for a suilicient time to heat the beets to the required temperature and to effect endosmotc absorption of the water by the cells of the beets, then introducing further water and circulating` such water heated to ,and main tained at a temperature of 158 Fahrenheit through the beets for a suflicient time to extract approximately all of the sugar which may be extracted by such water.

3. A method of extracting` sugar from dried sugar beets, which consists in first subjecting beets from` which the major portion of the normally contained Water has been removed to the action of water heated to and maintained at a constant temperature and for a suliicient time to heat the beets to the required tem erature and effect endosmotic absorption o the water by the cells of the beets; then circulating further water through the beets at the required temperature and for a sufficient time to extract approximately all of the sugar which ma be extracted byY the water, and simu famously lilterinp,r the sugar liquid during the circulation.

4. A method of extracting sugar from dried sugar beets. which consists in first subjecting beetsfrom which the major portion of the normally contained water has been removed to the action of Water heated to and maintained at a constant temperature and for a sufiieient time to heat the beets to the required temperature and eiect endosmotio absorption of the Water by the before delivery to the concentration apcells of the beets; then circulating further paratus. 1U

Water through the beets at the required tem- In testimony whereof, 1 affix my signa.- perature and for e sufiieient time to exture, in the presence of two Witnesses. tract approximately all of the Sugar which GEORGE BILLARD BEKAMIN. may be extracted by the Water, simul- VVitnesSes:

tnneously filtering the sugar liquid, and HELEN E. HOLLSCH,

finally treating to remove foreign bodies. HARRY TERHUNE. 

